UCSB Shuts Out 12th-Ranked Pepperdine, 7-0

Malibu, Calif. -
A seven-run second inning led the UC Santa Barbara baseball team to a 7-0 blanking of 12th-ranked Pepperdine Sunday at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu. Chuck Huggins threw six scoreless innings to earn the victory, while infielder Robbie Blauer went 1-for-4 with a RBI to up his hit streak to 23 games.

With the win, UCSB evened its season mark at 11-11. Pepperdine dropped to 19-8 as it lost for just the third time at home this year.

It was UCSB's first shutout victory since March 13, 2005 when the Gauchos defeated Loyola Marymount 6-0 in Santa Barbara. Pepperdine had not been shutout in its last 54 games.

Huggins, a junior left-hander, surrendered three hits, struck out four, and walked four Wave batters en route to the win. He remained perfect on the year, improving his record to 3-0. Sophomore right-hander Matt Wade tossed three scoreless innings in relief, giving up five hits with one strikeout and no walks.

UCSB spread the wealth at the plate as six different players accounted for its six hits and seven different players crossed the plate on the afternoon. Outfielder Chris Fox was 1-for-5 with a pair of RBI, while Blauer's RBI single in the second inning stretched his impressive hit streak to 23 games.

Pepperdine starter Brett Hunter (4-2) lasted just an inning and a third, giving up six earned runs on two hits while walking three and striking out two. Reliever Adam Olbrychowski came in and went 5.2 innings, letting in one run on three hits and striking out three. Olbrychowski retired the final 15 of 16 batters he faced. Jonathan Harmston finished the game for the Waves and pitched two scoreless innings.

Adrian Ortiz had three of Pepperdine's eight hits while Eric Thames had two hits and reached base four times.

After sitting down the side in order in the first inning, Hunter suffered control problems and started the second frame by beaning designated hitter Mike Zuanich. He walked the next three Gauchos and UCSB ended up sending 12 batters to the plate in the inning. Shane Carlson, Mario Lewis, Blauer, and Cody Dee all had RBI singles, and Fox picked up his two RBI on a double to right center.

Huggins' lone struggle came in the first inning as he walked two and gave up a single to load the bases with two outs. However, he struck out Ryan Heroy looking to end the threat.

The Waves left 12 runners on base, while the Gauchos stranded five.

The win came one day after Pepperdine banged out a season-high 18 hits on the way to a 16-1 drubbing of UCSB in Santa Barbara. The 16 runs was also a season-high for the Waves.

The two squads play the rubber game of the series Monday at 3 p.m. in Malibu.